Disaster struck as she drove off and went to take a sip of her early-morning brew.

Butti, 28, said: “I picked up the tea cup, which was so hot I accidentally dropped it onto my lap, scalding me and almost causing me to get into an accident as I pulled off the road.”

The lifestyle-show presenter also drenched her mobile phone and couldn’t call for help. She said: “I was screaming with the pain. I got out of the car because I was sitting in the liquid. I thought if I took off my jeans it might help, but my skin was coming off with them. I couldn’t phone for help so I drove to Virgin. I was lucky it was only five minutes away. They called my husband who carried me into the hospital.

“They got me out of my jeans and got these cool pads on me which were amazing, they soaked up the heat and numbed me.

“I was in agony for the hour-and-a-half it took me to get to the hospital, with the pain so severe I could barely move or speak. It is honestly the strongest pain I have felt in my entire life.”

Doctors gave Butti a tetanus injection and strong antibiotics, bandaged her up and after a few hours she went home.

She said: “They told me initially they didn’t want me moving for two weeks. But after an appointment on Saturday they said I could go out. I can’t walk very well.”

Butti hopes publicising what happened will warn others not to repeat her mistake. She said: “I really want to raise awareness about drinking hot beverages while driving.

“I feel it’s important for people to understand just how dangerous it can be.”